Electro-optical display system

ABSTRACT

An electro-optical display system particularly for projecting an enlarged color television image on a screen in which the transmitted signals are converted into points of light modulated by a multiple Fabry-Perot interferometric or multiple electro-optical light modulator assembly.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending applicationSer. No. 789,317 filed Jan. 6, 1969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,847, issuedMar. 2, 1971.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The systems presently available for display of large color televisionimages are too expensive for application to devices intended for use inthe home. The systems now available for display of home color televisionimages are limited in size, clarity and color quality of the displayedimage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved system fordisplay of color television images in the home.

An additional object of this invention is to provide in a display systemmeans for simultaneous and independent modulation or on-off switching ofa multiplicity of points or small areas of light.

This invention describes means to modulate a multiplicity of transmittedor reflected light beams by varying the positions of polished and coatedoptical surfaces in interferometric systems. Control over the positionof each optical surface is maintained by locating the surface directlyon electrostrictive material or by locating the surface on an opticallyworkable material which is firmly attached to the electrostrictivematerial.

Interferometric modulation of light is well known in the present art andis described in terms of single beam modulation in U.S. Pat. No.3,202,052 an in terms of multiple beam simultaneous modulation toprovide an image formed interferometrically over an extended area inU.S. Pat. No. 3,100,817 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,040. There are certainpractical difficulties in applying the teachings of the latter two U.S.patents which do not exist in devices utilizing the teachings of theinvention described herein.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,817 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,040 each describe theuse of thin sheets of electrostrictive material with the direction ofelectrical polarization perpendicular to the faces. Members of thebarium titanate or lead zirconate family of piezoelectric ceramics arewell suited for use in an interferometrically modulated system. Thematerials are hard enough to be optically worked to a flat surface andstable enough to hold their shapes after working. The electricalcharacteristics are also suitable for this application. For example inthe case of one material a potential difference of about 625 voltsprovides a surface displacement of one quarter wavelength, the maximumrequired for full modulation. When sheets of piezoelectric ceramic areused to create a full frame interferometrically modulated image, it isdesirable that they be as thin as feasible to provide maximumresolution. However, it is desirable that thickness be sufficient toprevent depolarization of the material with signal voltage. Thepolarizing voltage is 60 volts per mil of thickness. It is desirablethat the signal voltage be below this value. Thus it is desirable thatmaterial thickness be greater than 11 mils and preferably greater than30 mils.

These two requirements are in opposition to each other. U.S. Pat. No.3,233,040 describes a thin sheet of electrostrictive material affixed toa glass-wire substrate having wires passing through the glass to permitelectrical charges to be transmitted through the glass wall of a cathoderay tube. One commercially available glass-wire substrate has wires of0.001 inch diameter spaced 0.004 inch center to center. Thus to takeadvantage of the resolution possible with this wire spacing it would bedesirable to place a layer of electrostrictive material of about 0.002inch thickness cemented to the glass-wire substrate. As noted beforethis is too thin a layer properly to accept an electrical signal of 625volts. If a thicker layer of electrostrictive material is attached tothe glass-wire matrix the resolution possible is determined by materialthickness rather than by wire spacing.

In the following detailed description of this invention it will be shownthat it is possible to retain high resolution while using thickelectrostrictive material by separating immediately adjacent volumes ofelectrostrictive material with judiciously placed thin air spaces.Description will be given of embodiments of this concept in produciblepracticable devices capable of providing line-to-frame scannedtelevision images in color.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered with theaccompanying diagrammatic representational drawings wherein:

FIGURE DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a thick slab of piezoelectric material polarized throughits thickness and a means for reducing the size of an area of surfacewhich is displaced in response to an electrical potential applied to apoint on the opposite surface.

FIG. 2 shows a disk of piezoelectric material configured to provide amultiplicity of independently controlled moveable elements.

FIG. 3 shows an assembly of the piezoelectric disk of FIG. 2 assembledto provide a multiplicity of independently controlled Fabry-Perotetalons.

FIG. 4 illustrates a Fabry-Perot etalon used to modulate a beam ofcollimated light.

FIG. 5 illustrates a Fabry-Perot etalon used to modulate a conical beamof light at is focus.

FIG. 6 shows the device of FIGS. 2 and 3 as utilized in a completeoptical system to provide for display of a color television picture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 represents a rectangle of piezoelectric material 1 of sufficientthickness to maintain dimensional stability. Upper surface 2 is ametallized surface of uniform potential. Lower surface 3 is an uncoatedinsulating surface. The material is polarized through its thickness. Anelectrical potential applied at a point such as 4 by wire 5 will createlines of electrical force in an approximately conically shaped patternradiating from point 4 to an area 6 on surface 2 larger than the point 4but small compared to the whole surface area 2. This region ofelectrical potential difference will cause the usual piezoelectriceffect to occur. Thus small area 6 on surface 2 will be deformedslightly. The surface deformity can be made visible in aninterferometric system.

A small volume of piezoelectric material 7 is attached to the main bodyof material 1 but is partially isolated from the main body 1 by airslots 8 and 9. The air slots serve two purposes. If an electricalpotential is applied to point 10 by wire 11 the electrical lines offorce will be contained within small volume 7 and will not penetratethrough .[.he.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.air spaces 8 and 9 to the adjoiningregions of piezoelectric material at 12 or 13. Thus only that part ofpiezoelectric material 7 between air slots 8 and 9 will be changed indimension by application of electrical potential to point 10.

Additionally the air slots 8 and 9 provide mechanical separation ofsmall region 7 of piezoelectric material 1 from the immediately adjacentregions 12 and 13 so that the rigidity of the piezoelectric materialdoes not come into effect and cause small region 7 to drag mechanicallyregions 12 and 13 when small region 7 is electrically activated. Bysuitable selection of distance between air slots 8 and 9 it is possibleto create more regions such as 7 per unit length of piezoelectricmaterial 1 than regions such as 6.

FIG. 2 illustrates a piezoelectric ceramic disk having a multiplicity ofpartially isolated separately controllable small volumes ofpiezoelectric material. 14 is a disk of piezoelectric materialpreferably a piezoelectric ceramic. Surface 15 is optically flat,polished, and coated with a conducting layer so that it is of uniformelectrical potential. As shown ten sets of air slots such as 16 and 17are shown milled radially in from the outer cylindrical surface 18 ofpiezoelectric disk 14 to form ten separate small volumes ofpiezoelectric material such as 19 which are connected to the main bodyof material 14 but are isolated electrically and mechanically from theadjoining regions of material such as 20 and 21. As illustrated thereare thus ten narrow and ten wider regions of piezoelectric ceramic whichcan be dimensionally controlled independently of each other byapplication of a suitable electrical potential at points such as 22 or23. Although only twenty such separate volumes are shown, it is veryfeasible to provide six hundred such separate volumes in a disk of 3inch diameter. In this case the slots would be 0.005 inch or less incircumferential thickness and the solid regions of piezoelectricmaterial would be 0.010 inch or more in circumferential thickness. Thethickness of the disk can be as large as necessary to maintaindimensional stability and to accept the necessary electrical potential.

FIG. 3 is a section through AA of FIG. 2 with a transparent cover plateadded to create an assembly of a multiplicity of separate electricallymodulated Fabry-Perot interferometers. Here 14 represents the disk ofpiezoelectric ceramic previously shown in FIG. 2. 24 is a transparentoptical flat having a partially transparent coating on surface 25. Apreselected spacing of three wavelengths or less between surfaces 15 and25 is provided by spacer ring 26 which is vacuum coated to optical flat24. The complete assembly of FIG. 3 is identified by numeral 27.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate two methods of using a Fabry-Perot etalonto modulate a light beam. In FIG. 4 the light is collimated when passingthrough the Fabry-Perot etalon. In FIG. 5 the light beam is focussed onthe etalon. In FIG. 4 light from point source 28 is collimated by lens29 and passes through plane partially transmitting and partiallyreflecting surfaces 30 and 31 in collimated mode. The collimated beam isfocussed by lens 32 to point 33.

In FIG. 5 light from point source 34 is focussed to a point 36 by lens35 at Fabry-Perot etalon with plane partially transmitting partiallyreflecting surfaces 37 and 38. The point of light at 36 is refocussed bylens 39 to point 40. It can be seen that a much smaller area of theFabry-Perot etalon is used to modulate the light in FIG. 5 than isnecessary in FIG. 4. By using the optical system of FIG. 5 a moreclosely spaced array of modulators can be utilized than is possible ifthe optical system of FIG. 4 is used. .Iadd.In use it is necessary toprovide electrical potentials to points such as 22 or 23. This may bedone either by enclosing the assembly 27 of FIG. 3 within a cathode-ray.Iaddend.tube and directing an electron beam in circular scansuccessively to points such as 22 and 23; or, alternatively, it isfeasible to connect wires from all points such as 22 and 23 to anelectronic circuit assembly containing an electrical switching system sothat signals can successively be transmitted to all points such as 22and 23. The use of both such devices is well known in the state of theart today and neither device is described in detail herein.

Assuming the feasibility of providing electrical signals to all pointssuch as 22 and 23 .[.In use it is necessary to provide electricalpotentials to points such as 22 or 23. This may be done either byenclosing the assembly 27 of FIG. 3 within a cathode ray.]. in FIG. 2 sothat each separate modulator element can be driven as a separateFabry-Perot interferometric modulator, it is only necessary to providean auxiliary optical system to direct light to each modulator and thenre-direct the modulated light to form a desired pattern of modulatedlight spots or small areas. FIG. 6 illustrates a complete optical systemincluding the array of Fabry-Perot interferometric light modulators 27of FIG. 3.

In FIG. 6, 41 is a concentrated light source. For some applications itmay be a small tungsten filament, for other applications it may be aconcentrated arc lamp. Condensing mirror 42 and condensing lens 43together comprise a condensing system which forms an image of lightsource 41 on the entrance .[.and.]. .Iadd.end .Iaddend.45 of fiberbundle to circle converter 44. At entrance and 45 a multiplicity ofoptical fibers is closely spaced. Each fiber receives a part of thehighly concentrated light flux in the image of light source 41 formed bylens 43. Each optical fiber transmits the light received along itslength to the other end 46 of fiber bundle to circle converter 44. 46 isa circular array of optical fiber ends, each of which is a point sourceof light such as 47 from which a beam of light 48 emanates until it isintercepted by lens element 49 of lens system 52, comprising lenselements 49, 50, and 51 and mirror 53. Lens system 52 as shown has beenselected to illustrate clearly the optical function which it performs.In an actual device a more efficient lens system would be used toperform the same optical function. Lens element 49 essentiallycollimates the light in cone 48. That portion of collimated light beam48 which is reflected by mirror 53 is reflected towards lens element 50which refocusses the collimated light beam to a point 54 located on oneof the individual Fabry-Perot interferometric modulators of the assembly27 of FIG. 3 where modulation occurs. The modulated beam of light isreflected as light beam 55 which is re-imaged to a point of light 56 bylens elements 50 and 51.

Points of light 56 coincides with the end of one fiber in circle to lineconverter 57 in which a multiplicity of optical fibers are arranged tohave one end of each fiber located in a circle 58 and the other end ofeach fiber located in a line at 59. The same fibers are adjacent to eachother in both circle and line except for the fibers at each end of theline which are separated by the length of the line although their endsin the circle are immediately adjacent. Each fiber in circle 58corresponds to a fiber in the circular end of fiber bundle to circleconverter 44. Thus each point of light emanating from a fiber in bundleto circle converter 44 is redirected into a fiber in circle 58 ofoptical fiber circle to line converter 57 after being modulated by onemodulator of the array of Fabry-Perot interferometric modulators 27 ofFIG. 3. Each separately modulated light beam which enters fiber opticscircle to line converter 57 through one of the optical fiber ends incircle 58 is transmitted along the length of the fiber which it hasentered and emerges from the end of the fiber which is in line 59 at theend of optical fiber circle to line converter 57. At 59 light from eachfiber emanates as a cone of light and the end of each fiber is anintensity modulated point of light. At 59 there is thus a line ofseparate points of light individually modulated. By providing 600 fibersin bundle to circle converter 44 and circle to line converter 57 and byproviding 600 modulators in the array of Fabry-Perot interferometricmodulators 27 of FIG. 3 it is possible to provide a line of 600separately modulated points of light at 59. The number 600 correspondsto the number of groups of 3 dots, red, green and blue, across a line ina shadow mask color television tube. By limiting the spectral content oflight in this optical system to red, green or blue by duplicating thesystem twice from light source 41 to fiber optics line 59 to providethree complete sets of 600 separately modulated points of light in aline each in a separate color, red, green or blue, and by bringing thelines of light into optical coincidence by an array of dichroic filters60 it is possible to create a line of 600 points of light eachcomprising three spectral components separately modulated. This line ofcolor modulated points of light can be expanded into a frame of light byany of a number of slow speed electromechanically driven opticalscanners. One such scanning system comprises lens 61 and octagonal prism62 driven by synchronous motor 63. Such a scanner can be synchronized tothe television frame rate such that the projected image 64 comprises 525sets of 600 points of light corresponding to the 525 lines in atelevision frame. By controlling the intensity of each point of lightaccording to the appropriate part of the signal in the transmitted colortelevision signal, it is possible to project a color television pictureto a screen. An octagonal prism such as that shown scans a line across aframe eight times per turn. Current television standards provide 60fields per second or 3,600 fields per minute. Thus 450 revolutions perminute are required of the prism. This is a very moderate scan rate,easily achieved. The interleaving of fields can be achieved byappropriate angular spacings on prism faces or by other means notdescribed herein. Such interleaving is assumed to be provided bywhatever electro-mechanically driven optical line-to-frame scanningsystem is utilized.

Electronic signals to actuate the individual modulators of theFabry-Perot multiple modulator assembly 27 can be provided by locatingthe assembly in a cathode ray tube 65 in which the electron beamtraverses a circular path and successively actuates each separateFabry-Perot modulator such as 54. Alternatively separate wires 66 canconnect each modulator of assembly 27 to an electronic control circuit67 which acts as an electronic buffer to process the video signal from atelevision receiver circuit into a form suitable to actuate eachindividual Fabry-Perot modulator.

It should be clear that other applications exist for an array ofseparately controlled points of light such as those described herein. Itshould also be noted that by decreasing the number of separatelycontrolled optical modulators in a given size array the surface area ofeach can be increased so that each modulator can control intensity in alarger focused area of light than that which emanates from a singleoptical fiber end. In such cases each optical fiber shown in FIG. 6 canbe replaced by an optical fiber bundle. It should also be noted that forsome applications continuous control of light intensity is not requiredand that simple on-off switching is sufficient. With such modificationsa variety of applications of the teachings of this invention arepossible.

Included in the previous discussion are descriptions of a novel meansfor simultaneous and independent modulation or .[.one-off.]..Iadd.on-off .Iaddend.switching of a multiplicity of points or smallareas of light using a multiplicity of Fabry-Perot interferometers, theapplication of this means in an optical system to provide modulation oron-off switching of light in a multiplicity of separate and discreteoptical fibers arrayed with their exit ends forming a straight line, anda means for moving or scanning a line of modulated points of light toform an illuminated frame displaying a television picture.

The total system described may be characterized as a line-to-framedisplay system. The optical system illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a bankof electrically or electronically-controlled interferometric lightmodulators. The bank of interferometric light modulators is one meansfor simultaneously modulating or on-off switching of light in amultiplicity of points or small areas of light. It is not the only suchmeans. The optical system shown in FIG. 6 will perform the same overallfunction if the bank of electrically or electronically-controlledinterferometric light modulators is replaced by a bank of electricallyor electronically-controlled electro-optic light modulators. Displaysystems have been constructed in which light transmission in smalldiscrete areas of a larger area of electro-optic material is controlledby electronic signals to produce a full frame display of televisionpictures. A summary of development accomplished with systems of thiskind is given in RCA REVIEW Volume 30, Number 4 of December 1969 on page567 in an article entitled "A Reflex Electro-Optical Light ValveTelevision Display" written by D. H. Pritchard. This article describesassemblies in which light passes through each separately modulatedvolume of electro-optic material and upon emerging continues along itsoriginal direction of propagation. The article also describes assembliesin which light passes through each separately modulated volume ofelectro-optic material and is reflected back through the same volumethence emerging through the same face at which it entered but with itsdirection of propagation reversed. Thus points such as 54 in FIG. 6 atwhich light is illustrated as being reflected can be considered to beindicative of light impinging on a small discrete volume of transparentelectro-optic material, passing through the volume, and being reflectedback through and out through the entering face. More generally, then,points such as 54 in FIG. 6 can be considered to be single units in anarray of light modulators within a single body each separatelycontrolled electrically or electronically. Recently the technicalliterature has included references to control of electro-optical effectsin small discrete volumes within a larger volume of electro-opticalmaterial by application of localized electrical potential differencesthrough selected small volumes of the parent material with a grid ofelectrodes controlled by logic circuits. It is clear that the opticalsystem shown in FIG. 6 will perform its function if light emanating fromfiber ends such as 47 and striking modulating elements at points such as54 is modulated interferometrically as previously described orelectro-optically with an array of separate, discrete, and independentlycontrolled electro-optic modulators, each within a larger parent body ofelectro-optic material, switched or modulated by an electron beam withina cathode ray tube or by an array of wires from an electronic logiccircuit. In either case the optical system of FIG. 6 comprises aline-to-frame scanning system for the display of television pictures. Aspreviously described three such systems can be combined to displaytelevision pictures in full color.

The basic optical system illustrated in FIG. 6 but not comprising all ofFIG. 6 is a display system for .[.one-off.]. .Iadd.on-off.Iaddend.switching or modulation of light separately and independentlyin each of a multiplicity of optical fibers. The configuration of fiberends need not be limited to a straight line as shown at 59 in FIG. 6 butcan have any desired configuration depending upon the application, whichneed not be limited to the display of television pictures.

My co-pending application Ser. No. 789,317 filed Jan. 6, 1969 emphasizedthe novel means for simultaneous and independent modulation or on-offswitching of a multiplicity of points or small areas of light using amultiplicity of Fabry-Perot interferometers within a single body. Thegeneralized optical system described therein is also considered to be anovel means for on-off switching or modulation of light separately andindependently in each of a multiplicity of optical fibers. Specificallythe generalized display system considered to be novel, fully describedgenerically in my co-pending application Ser. No. 789,317, andillustrated in FIG. 6 comprises,

a source of light,

a condensing system forming a small concentrated image of the lightsource,

a first fiber optics assembly having the fibers closely packed andparallel to each other at one end where light is received from the lightsource image and having the fibers separated from each other at theother end, forming a multiplicity of small points of light,

a first optical system receiving light from the multiplicity of smallpoints of light formed by the first fiber optics assembly and forming amultiplicity of small light point images,

an array of light modulators within a single body each separatelycontrolled electrically or electronically and each receiving light fromone of the multiplicity of small light point images formed by the firstoptical system,

a second optical system receiving light from the multiplicity of smallpoints of light after modulation by the array of electrically orelectronically controlled light modulators and forming a multiplicity ofsmall light point images,

a second fiber optics assembly having the fibers separated from eachother at one end to receive light from modulated light point imagesformed by said second optical system and having the fibers adjacent toeach other at the other end of the assembly forming a multiplicity ofmodulated points of light.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display system for on-off switching ormodulation of light separately and independently within each of amultiplicity of optical fibers, includinga source of light, a condensingsystem forming a small concentrated image of the light source, a firstfiber optics assembly having the fibers closely packed and parallel toeach other other at one end where light is received from the lightsource image and having the fibers separated from each other at theother end, forming a multiplicity of small points of light, a firstoptical system receiving light from the multiplicity of small points oflight formed by the first fiber optics assembly and forming amultiplicity of small light point images, an array of light modulatorswithin a single body each separately controlled electrically orelectronically and each receiving light from one of the multiplicity ofsmall light point images formed by the first optical system, a secondoptical system receiving light from the multiplicity of small points oflight after modulation by the array of electrically or electronicallycontrolled light modulators and forming a multiplicity of small lightpoint images, a second fiber optics assembly having the fibers separatedfrom each other at one end to receive light from modulated light pointimages formed by said second optical system and having the fibersadjacent to each other at the other end of the assembly forming amultiplicity of modulated points of light.
 2. A display system accordingto claim 1, wherein the array of light modulators within a single bodycomprises, a multiple interferometric light modulator assembly having abody of electrostrictive material optically polished to predeterminedcurvature and electrically conducting and optically coated on onesurface and electrically insulating on an opposite parallel surface, amultiplicity of separate small discrete volumes of said electrostrictivematerial attached to and forming part of said body and each forming aFabry-Perot interferometric light modulator, said volumes beingpartially separated from each other by narrow air slots extending fromsaid polished conducting face of said electrostrictive material throughthe material to the opposite parallel insulating face, and a transparentoptical element with two polished surfaces one adjacent to andaccurately optically mated with said conductive surface on saidelectrostrictive material, coated with a semitransparent opticalcoating, and separated from said conductive surface on saidelectrostrictive material by a vacuum deposited spacer of thicknessthree wavelengths or less.
 3. A display system according to claim 2,wherein the assembly is located within a cathode ray tube with theinsulating surface positioned to receive electrical charge deposited bya moving electron beam controlled in spatial position to chargesuccessively each of said multiplicity of separate small discretevolumes of electrostrictive material.
 4. A display system according toclaim 2, wherein the assembly is connected electrically to an electroniccontrol circuit by separate wires connected to the insulating faces ofall said separate small discrete volumes of electrostrictive material.5. A display system according to claim 2, wherein the body is a circulardisk, and the spacer is centrally located and close to but notintersecting said narrow air slots.
 6. A display system according toclaim 5, where in the assembly is located within a cathode ray tube withthe insulating surface positioned to receive electrical charge depositedby a moving electron beam controlled in spatial position to chargesuccessively each of said multiplicity of separate small discretevolumes of electrostrictive material in circular disposition.
 7. Adisplay system according to claim 5, wherein the assembly is connectedelectrically to an electronic control circuit by separate wiresconnected to the insulating faces of all said separate small discretevolumes of electrostrictive material in circular disposition.
 8. Adisplay system according to claim 1, wherein the array of lightmodulators within a single body comprises, a multiple electro-opticlight modulator assembly havinga body of electro-optic material ofthickness small but finite compared to its length and breadth and withlargest faces optically polished positioned between two polarizingelements to permit light transmitted by one polarizing element to enterand pass through the body of electro-optical material from one polishedface to the other and thence through the other polarizing element, saidoptically polished faces of electro-optic material having affixedthereto arrays of electrodes positioned with respect to each other suchthat electrical potentials applied at predetermined points within thearrays will cause optical transmission of a multiplicity of separatesmall discrete volumes of electro-optic material to vary independentlyof each other according to the strength of the electric field applied toeach.
 9. A display system according to claim 8, wherein the assembly islocated within a cathode ray tube with one optically polished surfacewith affixed electrode array positioned to receive electrical chargedeposited by a moving electron beam controlled in spatial position tocharge successively each of said multiplicity of separate small discretevolumes of electro-optic material.
 10. A display system according toclaim 9, wherein the optical fibers adjacent to each other at the otherend of the second fiber optics assembly from a multiplicity of modulatedpoints of light in a straight line.
 11. A display system according toclaim 10, for use with a source of color television video signals tocreate an optical image by enlarged projection onto a viewing screen,includingthe above described system duplicated twice to provide threeduplicate light modulating systems forming three multiplicities ofmodulated points of light in identical straight lines and with red,green and blue filters respectively in the several systems, a dichroicset of mirrors combining optically said three identical straight linesof modulated points of light into one straight line of points of lighteach including separately modulated red, green and blue components, anelectro-mechanical scanning and optical projection system to scan andenlarge optically said straight line of combined red, green and bluepoints of light across a viewing screen forming a large frame of 525lines of colored points of light corresponding to the 525 lines in atelevision picture, and electrical and electronic means to receive andprocess a color television signal to provide appropriate controlvoltages to each separate electro-optic light modulator of the assemblyand to provide appropriate synchronous control voltages to saidelectromechanical optical scanning and projection system.
 12. A displaysystem according to claim 8, wherein the assembly is connectedelectrically to an electronic control circuit by separate wiresconnected to the arrays of electrodes controlling the electrical fieldwithin each of said multiplicity of separate small discrete volumes ofelectro-optic material.
 13. A display system according to claim 12,wherein the optical fibers adjacent to each other at the other end ofthe second fiber optics assembly form a multiplicity of modulated pointsof light in a straight line.
 14. A display system according to claim 13,for use with a source of color television video signals to create anoptical image by enlarged projection onto a viewing screen, includingtheabove described system duplicated twice to provide three duplicate lightmodulating systems forming three multiplicities of modulated points oflight in identical straight lines and with red, green and blue filtersrespectively in the several systems, a dichroic set of mirrors combiningoptically said three identical straight lines of modulated points oflight into one straight line of points of light each includingseparately modulated red, green and blue components, anelectro-mechanical scanning and optical projection system to scan andenlarge optically said straight line of combined red, green and bluepoints of light across a viewing screen forming a large frame of 525lines of colored points of light corresponding to the 525 lines in atelevision picture, and electrical and electronic means to receive andprocess a color television signal to provide appropriate controlvoltages to each separate electro-optic light modulator of the assemblyand to provide appropriate synchronous control voltages to saidelectromechanical optical scanning and projection system.
 15. A displaysystem according to claim 8, wherein the optical fibers adjacent to eachother at the other end of the second fiber optics assembly form amultiplicity of modulated points of light in a straight line.
 16. Adisplay system according to claim 15, for use with a source of colortelevision video signals to create an optical image by enlargedprojection onto a viewing screen, includingthe above described systemduplicated twice to provide three duplicate light modulating systemsforming three multiplicities of modulated points of light in identicalstraight lines and with red, green and blue filters respectively in theseveral systems, a dichroic set of mirrors combining optically saidthree identical straight lines of modulated points of light into onestraight line of points of light each including separately modulatedred, green and blue components, an electro-mechanical scanning andoptical projection system to scan and enlarge optically said straightline of combined red, green and blue points of light across a viewingscreen forming a large frame of 525 lines of colored points of lightcorresponding to the 525 lines in a television picture, and electricaland electronic means to receive and process a color television signal toprovide appropriate control voltages to each separate electro-opticlight modulator of the assembly and to provide appropriate synchronouscontrol voltages to said electromechanical optical scanning andprojection system.
 17. A display system according to claim 1, whereinthe optical fibers adjacent to each other at the other end of the secondfiber optics assembly form a multiplicity of modulated points of lightin a straight line.
 18. A display system according to claim 17, for usewith a source of color television video signals to create an opticalimage by enlarged projection onto a viewing screen, includingthe abovedescribed system duplicated twice to provide three duplicate lightmodulating systems forming three multiplicities of modulated points oflight in identical straight lines and with red, green and blue filtersrespectively in the several systems, a dichroic set of mirrors combiningoptically said three identical straight lines of modulated points oflight into one straight line of points of light each includingseparately modulated red, green and blue components, anelectro-mechanical scanning and optical projection system to scan andenlarge optically said straight line of combined red, green and bluepoints of light across a viewing screen forming a large frame of 525lines of colored points of light corresponding to the 525 lines in atelevision picture, and electrical and electronic means to receive andprocess a color television signal to provide appropriate controlvoltages to each separate light modulator of the assembly and to provideappropriate synchronous control voltages to said electromechanicaloptical scanning and projection system. .Iadd.
 19. An optical system forseparately and independently modulating or on-off switching light ineach of a multiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles,including an array of a multiplicity of optical fibers, each having aninput region at which light can enter and be received, a region throughor along which light can be propagated internally, and an output regionfrom which light can emerge, the disposition of the array being suchthat light can be directed into and received at the input region of eachoptical fiber and light leaving the output region of each optical fiberemerges at a predesignated one of a set of predetermined separatepositions propagated along a predesignated one of a set of predeterminedseparate directions, optical means to receive light propagated from theoutput region of each optical fiber of the array and direct it to aprespecified one of a set of preselected separate locations, and anarrangement of a multiplicity of light modulators within a single body,each having an input region at which light can enter and be received, aregion in which light can be modulated, and an output region from whichmodulated light can emerge, each light modulator of the arrangementbeing controlled separately electrically or electronically to modulatethe received light, the disposition of the arrangement being such thatthe input region of each light modulator of the arrangement coincideswith a preestablished one of the set of preselected separate locationsand can receive light propagated from a prescribed optical fiber of thearray through the optical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 20. An optical systemfor separately and independently modulating or on-off switching light ineach of a multiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles,including optical light source means, optical condensing means receivinglight emitted by and propagated from the optical light source means andconcentrating it within a set of predelineated small regions, an arrayof a multiplicity of optical fibers, each having an input region atwhich light can enter and be received, a region through or along whichlight can be propagated internally, and an output region from whichlight can emerge, the disposition of the array being such that lightenters the input region of each optical fiber at one of the set ofpredelineated small regions and light leaving the output region of eachoptical fiber emerges at a predesignated one of a set of predeterminedseparate positions propagated along a predesignated one of a set ofpredetermined separate directions, optical means receiving light fromthe output region of each optical fiber of the array and directing it toa prespecified one of a set of preselected separate locations, and anarrangement of a multiplicity of light modulators within a single body,each having an input region at which light can enter and be received, aregion in which light can be modulated, and an output region from whichmodulated light can emerge, each light modulator of the arrangementbeing controlled separately electrically or electronically to modulatethe received light, the disposition of the arrangement being such thatthe input region of each light modulator of the arrangement coincideswith a preestablished one of the set of preselected separate locationsand receives light propagated from a prescribed optical fiber of thearray through the optical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 21. An optical systemfor separately and independently modulating or on-off switching light ineach of a multiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles,including an arrangement of a multiplicity of light modulators within asingle body, each having an input region at which light can enter and bereceived, a region in which light can be modulated, and an output regionfrom which modulated light can emerge, each light modulator of thearrangement being controlled separately electrically or electronicallyto modulate the received light, the disposition of the arrangement beingsuch that light can be directed into and received at the input region ofeach light modulator and light leaving the output region of each lightmodulator emerges at a preassigned one of a set of preselected separatepositions propagated along a preassigned one of a set of preselectedseparate directions, optical means to receive light propagated from theoutput region of each light modulator of the arrangement and direct itto a prespecified one of a set of preselected separate locations, and anarray of a multiplicity of optical fibers, each having an input regionat which light can enter and be received, a region through or alongwhich light can be propagated internally, and an output region fromwhich light can emerge, the disposition of the array being such that theinput region of each optical fiber of the array coincides with apreidentified one of the set of preselected separate locations and canreceive light propagated from a preappointed light modulator of thearrangement through the optical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 22. An opticalsystem for separately and independently modulating or on-off switchinglight in each of a multiplicity of separately propagated light raybundles, including optical light source means, optical condensing meansreceiving light emitted by and propagated from the optical light sourcemeans and concentrating it within a set of predelineated small regions,an arrangement of a multiplicity of light modulators within a singlebody, each having an input region at which light can enter and bereceived, a region in which light can be modulated, and an output regionfrom which modulated light can emerge, each light modulator of thearrangement being controlled separately electrically or electronicallyto modulate the received light, the disposition of the arrangement beingsuch that light enters and is received at the input region of each lightmodulator at one of the set of predelineated small regions and lightleaving the output region of each light modulator emerges at apreassigned one of a set of preselected separate positions propagatedalong a preassigned one of a set of preselected separate directions,optical means receiving light propagated from the output region of eachlight modulator of the arrangement and directing it to a prespecifiedone of a set of preselected separate locations, and an array of amultiplicity of optical fibers, each having an input region at whichlight can enter and be received, a region through or along which lightcan be propagated internally, and an output region from which light canemerge, the disposition of the array being such that the input region ofeach optical fiber of the array coincides with a preidentified one ofthe set of preselected separate locations and receives light propagatedfrom a preappointed light modulator of the arrangement through theoptical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 23. An optical system for separately andindependently modulating or on-off switching light in each of amultiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles, includingafirst array of a multiplicity of optical fibers, each having an inputregion at which light can enter and be received, a region through oralong which light can be propagated internally, and an output regionfrom which light can emerge, the disposition of the first array beingsuch that light can be directed into and received at the input region ofeach optical fiber and light leaving the output region of each opticalfiber emerges at a predesignated one of a first set of predeterminedseparate positions propagated along a predesignated one of a first setof predetermined separate directions, first optical means to receivelight propagated from the output region of each optical fiber of thefirst array and direct it to a prespecified one of a first set ofpreselected separate locations, an arrangement of a multiplicity oflight modulators within a single body, each having an input region atwhich light can enter and be received, a region in which light can bemodulated, and an output region from which modulated light can emerge,each light modulator of the arrangement being controlled separatelyelectrically or electronically to modulate the received light, thedisposition of the arrangement being such that the input region of eachlight modulator of the arrangement coincides with a preestablished oneof the first set of preselected separate locations and can receive lightpropagated from a prescribed optical fiber in the first array throughthe first optical means, and light leaving each light modulator of thearrangement emerges at a preassigned one of a set of preselectedseparate positions propagated along a preassigned one of a set ofpreselected separate directions, second optical means to receive lightpropagated from the output region of each modulator of the arrangementand direct it to a prespecified one of a second set of preselectedseparate locations, and a second array of a multiplicity of opticalfibers, each having an input region at which light can enter and bereceived, a region through or along which light can be propagatedinternally, and an output region from which light can emerge, thedisposition of the second array being such that the input region of eachoptical fiber coincides with a preidentified one of the second set ofpreselected separate locations and can receive light propagated from apreappointed light modulator of the arrangement through the secondoptical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 24. An optical system for separately andindependently modulating or on-off switching light in each of amultiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles, includingoptical light source means, optical condensing means receiving lightemitted by and propagated from the optical light source means andconcentrating it within a set of predelineated small regions, a firstarray of a multiplicity of optical fibers, each having an input regionat which light can enter and be received, a region through or alongwhich light can be propagated internally, and an output region fromwhich light can emerge, the disposition of the first array being suchthat light enters the input region of each optical fiber at one of theset of predelineated small regions and light leaving the output regionof each optical fiber emerges at a predesignated one of a first set ofpredetermined separate positions propagated along a predesignated one ofa first set of predetermined separate directions, first optical meansreceiving light propagated from the output region of each optical fiberof the first array and directing it to a prespecified one of a first setof preselected separate locations, an arrangement of a multiplicity oflight modulators within a single body, each having an input region atwhich light can enter and be received, a region in which light can bemodulated, and an output region from which modulated light can emerge,each light modulator of the arrangement being controlled separatelyelectrically or electronically to modulated the received light, thedisposition of the arrangement being such that the input region of eachlight modulator of the arrangement coincides with a preestablished oneof the first set of preselected separate locations and receives lightpropagated from a prescribed optical fiber in the first array throughthe first optical means, and light leaving each light modulator of thearrangement emerges at a preassigned one of a set of preselectedseparate positions propagated along a preassigned one of a set ofpreselected separate directions, second optical means to receive lightpropagated from the output region of each modulator of the arrangementand direct it to a prespecified one of a second set of preselectedseparate locations, and a second array of a multiplicity of opticalfibers, each having an input region at which light can enter and bereceived, a region through or along which light can be propagatedinternally, and an output region from which light can emerge, thedisposition of the second array being such that the input region of eachoptical fiber coincides with a preidentified one of the second set ofpreselected separate locations and can receive light propagated from apreappointed light modulator of the arrangement through the secondoptical means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
 25. An optical system for separately andindependently modulating or on-off switching light in each of amultiplicity of separately propagated light ray bundles, includinganarrangement of a multiplicity of fixed points of light each on adifferent part of a surface of a single body, each of said differentparts being controlled separately electrically or electronically tomodulate the point of light thereon, the disposition of the arrangementbeing such that light leaving each modulated point of light emerges at apreassigned one of a set of preselected separate positions propagatedalong a preassigned one of a set of preselected separate directions,optical means to receive light propagated from each modulated point oflight of the arrangement and direct it to a prespecified one of a set ofpreselected separate locations, and an array of a multiplicity ofoptical fibers, each having an input region at which light can enter andbe received, a region through or along which light can be propagatedinternally, and an output region from which light can emerge, thedisposition of the array being such that the input region of eachoptical fiber of the array coincides with a preidentified one of the setof preselected separate locations and can receive light propagated froma preappointed modulated point of light of the arrangement through theoptical means. .Iaddend.